quote:

Originally posted by Deertick:
Shoes are fine ... but the question was about boots.

Boots can be used over long distances -- 100 mile races in the Rockies; I can't imagine much more punishment. They have advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that they are pretty darn easy to replace in the backcountry, unless you happen do be a farrier.

The advantage of shoes is that (as long as they stay on) they are out-of-sight, out-of-mind. The downside is that it takes a skilled farrier to do it well, and it takes good stock. Laminitis and Navicular are not seen in barefoot stock, by-and-large.

There are no people like horse-people for getting stuck in ruts and doing something because that's how dad/cowboys/dressage riders/the latest holistic nutjob did it.

And, Mr. Atkinson, I mean no disrespect when I say that you prove that last point well. In fact, as long as whatever you're doing is working for your animals, I admire your "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"-attitude.

That said, it ain't working for quite a few of us, or our animals.